Hey you guys. Welcome back to another episode of News Bites.

I'm Jacob Ingram.

And I'm Nancy Sun.

In today's news: First Blue Tears in Matsu, and Welsh Puppies are stopping
poachers in Africa!

And in today's Tasty Tidbit: The two smartest dog breeds.

Stay tuned for those stories.
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馬祖藍眼淚進入最佳觀賞期
First Blue Tears of the Year Reported in Matsu

Have you ever heard of the "Blue Tears" (藍眼淚) in Matsu (馬祖)?

It's one of the most beautiful natural sights in Taiwan, and it happens every
year from April to September.

But what are they, really?

Blue Tears are caused by tiny sea creatures called bioluminescent plankton
(生物發光浮游生物).

These creatures glow a light-blue color (淡藍色光) when they get disturbed,
like when waves crash or when people walk on the sand.

Sometimes, when you step on wet sand at night, your footprints light up.

Yup - that's the plankton too!

So, why do they show up in Matsu?

Every year, the Min River (岷江) floods and brings nutrient-rich water
(富含養分的水) to the sea near Matsu.

The mix of nutrients and warm temperatures (溫暖的氣溫) helps the plankton
grow fast.

And when the sea is calm and dark, the glowing waves can be seen clearly.

This year, the Blue Tears first appeared on April 22nd!

People saw glowing waves all along the coast, and many took photos of the
amazing view.

But here's the thing - seeing Blue Tears depends a lot on luck (運氣)!

You need to be in the right place at the right time.

The best time is after midnight (午夜過後).

You also need the right conditions:

‧ Clear water (清澈的海水);

‧ Little light pollution (光害);

‧ Slow ocean currents (緩慢的洋流); and...

‧ Special shapes of the coast (不規則的海岸地形).

To help more people enjoy this natural wonder, Lienchiang County (連江縣)
started night tours!

It costs just $100 NT per person.

The tour lasts 90 minutes.

It includes a guide, a shuttle, insurance, and even a small gift.

You must register online in advance (需事先線上報名).

如果你想要一探這美得讓人讚嘆的自然現象，就來趟馬祖之旅吧。

So if you want to see one of Taiwan's most magical sights, head to Matsu -
and maybe the ocean will light up just for you!
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威爾斯犬協助嚇阻非洲盜獵者
Welsh Puppies Stopping Wildlife Poachers in Africa

We all know that dogs are people's best friends.

But some dogs are also amazing helpers - working with the police or saving
people in rescue teams.

Now, some of these clever pups are using their noses for something even more
special: Protecting wild animals (保護野生動物).

In Zimbabwe (辛巴威), at a big wildlife park, a poacher (盜獵者) ran off
after killing a wild warthog (疣豬).

He thought he got away - leaving behind just a few clues: Some blood,
footprints (腳印), and tire marks (輪胎印).

But that was more than enough for Shinga, a smart dog trained to catch
poachers.

Shinga is a Belgian Malinois (比利時牧羊犬), and she followed the trail
(追蹤) for over 4.5 kilometers.

Step by step, she led a team right to the poacher's door.

Shinga was raised and trained in Wales (威爾斯), by people who have trained
dogs for police and army work for many years.

But one day, they saw a sad photo online - a rhino (犀牛) that had been
killed by poachers.

And that gave them an idea: To train dogs to protect animals (保育動物), not
just people.

Since then, they've sent dogs to different parts of Africa (非洲), where they
help special wildlife teams stop poaching.

And it's working!

When poachers find out a dog is on the job, they get nervous.

These dogs are fast, smart, and nearly impossible to trick.

Once the dogs arrive, poaching drops (減少) fast.

The dogs don't just follow tracks.

Sometimes, they even warn their team about dangerous predators hiding nearby,
such as lions or snakes.
有時候，牠們甚至會警告牠們的團隊附近躲藏的危險掠食者，像是獅子或蛇。

These dogs are truly heroes, using their super sniffers to help save some of
the world's most amazing animals.
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So, in today's News Bites:

Blue Tears in Matsu are glowing waves caused by bioluminescent plankton.

They appear from April to September when the sea is calm, the water is clear,
and the conditions are just right.

To see this magical sight, join a night tour in Lienchiang County and hope
for some luck!

__________________________

And,

Some dogs are more than best friends - they're heroes protecting wild animals.

In Africa, smart dogs like Shinga use their noses to track poachers and help
stop illegal hunting.

Thanks to their hard work, poaching is dropping, and more animals are staying
safe.
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In today's Tasty Tidbit:

Did you know some dog breeds are super smart?

Border Collies are the smartest breed of dog.

They can learn new tricks in just a few tries.

These energetic（精力充沛的）dogs love to work and need lots of mental
challenges（動腦的挑戰）to stay happy.

They often help farmers herd sheep（趕羊）because they follow commands
quickly and carefully.

Poodles are also very smart.

Don't let their fancy looks（華麗的外表）fool you - they're quick learners
and great at problem-solving（解決問題）.

They enjoy games that test their memory and skills.

With the right training（訓練）, both breeds can learn dozens of tricks and
even take part in dog sports!
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If you have a fun fact, a joke or interesting news story you'd like to share
with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to
newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it at the end of an episode.

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!